Harness-coupling element



April 8 1924. 1,489,505

J. c. NICHOLS HARNESS couPLIN' ELEMENT Filed May 22, 1923 John IlNiuhuls Patented Apr. 8, 1924.

UNITED STATES JOHN C. NTCHOLS, OF SHEBOYG-AN, WISCONSIN. I

HARNESS-COUPLING ELEMENT.

Application filed May 22. 1923. Serial No. 640,684.

T 0 all 107mm it may concern:

Be it known that 1. JOHN C. NIC OLS, a citizen of the United States. and resident of .Qheboygan.v in the county of Sheboygan and State of lVisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Harness- Coupling Elements; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

This invention relates to a harness coupling element.

This case constitutes one of a series of cases filed simultaneously having elements cooperating to form a harness without stitching.

In harnesses, difficulty has been experienced in securing the portions together as it was found that the stitching by which the different parts were joined was the weakest parts of the harness and soon wore away or ripped. Riveting would not obviate the difficulty entirely and neither of these expedients provide the desirable adjustability in harnesses.

This invention is designed to overcome the above noted defects and objects of such invention are to' provide a harness coupling element which is' so designed that it may be employed to join two straps without requiring any stitching whatsoever, or may be employed to form a loop in a single strap without stitching.

The element disclosed in this invention is adapted for cooperation with other elements such as those disclosed in my copending applications for trace supporters, Serial No. 640,683, filed May 22, 1923, and hook coupling for harness, Ser. No. 640,686, filed May 22, 1923, or in fact with other elements of a harness so as to completely form the harness without requiring any stitching whatsoever.

Further objects of this invention are to provide a harness coupling element which is adapted to function both as a fastener for the terminal portion of a strap and as an adjustable buckle whereby either the loop in the strap or else the position of a separate strap may be adjusted at will, and to provide a device which may be readily produced at a minimum expense.

An embodiment of the invention is shown in-the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of the device. Figure 2 is a side elevational view thereof. Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a looped strap in place.

Figure 4: isa similar view .showingthe manner in which the device is used when two separate straps are joined.

The harness connector element comprises a pair of side walls 1 which carry adjacent their lower edge-a pair of spaced parallel transverse bars 2 and 3, oneof such-bars 2,

for instance, being provided with a curved prong4 extending upwardly and towards the other bar. The upper portion of the side walls-1 is-provided with outer transverse bars 5 and 6- which are spaced above and beyond the transverse bars 2 and 3.

An intermediate bar'7 is provided substantially centrally of the device between V the bars 2 and 3 and has an integrally formed upwardly extending prong or stud 8. V I 7 It is to be noted that the edges of all of the bars are rounded so as toprevent presentation of sharp corners to the harness strap. 7

It is, of course, obvious that this coupling element may be employed in any portion of the harness where it is desired either to form an adjustable loop in a strap or to adjustably join two straps as illustrated in Figures 3 and l, and, therefore, the numerous places in which the device may be employled in a harness are not tabulated herewit 'VVhen used to form an adjustable loop in a strap, the terminal portion of the strap, as indicated at 9, is wrapped around the bar 2 and is provided with an aperture through which the prong 4 projects.

The terminal portion 9 has its end located preferably below the intermediate bar 7 as may be seen in Figure 3.

- The strap 10 is thereafter passed over the bar 3 and a loop is formed, thereafter it is passed beneath the bar 5. over the bar 7 and place.

The sides of the transverse bars are so arranged that they conform approximately to the curvature or slope of the strap at the points where it contacts with such'bars,

as may be seen from Figure 3, thereby avoiding sharp bends in the strap which might otherwise mar or break it.

When used to adjustably join two separate straps, as illustra ed in Figure i, one of the straps 12 is looped around the bar 2, as previously described, and passes over bar 3. The other strap 13 extends from the other direction beneath the bar 6, over the bar 7 and beneath the bar 5. It is provided with plurality of apertures 14 any one of which is adapted to receive the pin 8, as previously described.

When stresses coming upon the straps tend to separate them, the device is pre vented from tilting as the strap 12, for

instance holds the bar 3 down, and the strap 13 holds the bar 6 up, thereby preventing roclring or tilting of the device.

It will be seen that av harness coupling element has been provided w ich is eminently adapted for use in building up harnesses without the necessity of stitching any portions thereof.

It will also be seen that the device is a unitary integral structure in which there are no moving parts, and in which the parts are so associated or organized that it will firmly lock adjacent portionsof straps in an adjustable manner. 7

This device may be readily cast due to the open work formation of the parts without requiring elaborate cores. In fact, it may be cast in an extremely simple type of mould as is obvious from an inspection of F igures 1, 3 and 4.

It will thus be seen that a harness coupling element has been provided which has the double function of a fastener for a strap and an adjustable buckle either for another insasos irlthough the invention has been described riat it is not limited to the exact disclsoure, it may be variously embodied, and is to be limited only as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1, A combined buckle and strap fastener for harness comprising a pair of bars located in one plane with one of said bars provided with an integrally formed hook, a second pair of bars located in a plane above said first mentioned plane and beyond said first mentioned pair of bars, and an inter mediate bar located above and between said first mentioned bars and provided with an integrally formed outwardly projecting prong.

2. The combination of a pair of straps of a combined fastener and buckle therefor comprising parallel side walls, a pair of lower transverse bars one of which is provided with aprong, one of said straps being folded around said last mentioned 'bar witli the prong projecting therethrough and passed above the other of said bars, a pair of outer bars beneath which the other of said straps pass, and an intermediate bar over which said last mentioned strap passes, said last mentioned bar having an integral outwardly extending prong extending through said last mentioned strap.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand at Milwaukee. in the county of Milwaukee and State of lVisconsin.

JOHN C. NICHOLS. 

